Close Quarters
by Occult Medicine
Summary: Wally is in a bit of a predicament. WallyxArtemis
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice.

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Wally groaned. He wasn't sure if it was out of pleasure of exasperation; it could go either way. His neck was aching, protesting against the strain of being turned for over an hour now. But the blush that had settled on his cheeks refused to leave and he wasn't going to give _her_ the satisfaction of knowing she had gotten under his skin. Which she hadn't. Even though they were close enough that it might actually be feasible.

Due to a series of poorly timed events and utter lack of luck that he refused to relive in memory, he was now trapped in a small room – if it even could be called a room considering its dimensions – with the one person he hated the most: Artemis.

It wasn't just trapped though; they were literally pressed up against one another. He could feel the ghost of her breath on his neck, her thighs pushed against his, her chest rubbing against him with each breath –

'No,' Wally thought. 'Don't think about that. Think of Megan. Sweet, kind beautiful Megan...'

She shifted slightly in place so that her groin stroked his and he had to bite his tongue to suppress a moan.

'How much longer is the team going to take?' he thought, his hands making fists. He was a teenager; there was only so much more of this he could take.

"Wally" Artemis stated, interrupting his thoughts. He jerked his head for a moment to turn and look at her before remembering his predicament. He kept looking towards the left instead.

"What?" he answered, trying to sound nonchalant.

He could feel her strong gaze on him and a bead of sweat formed on his forehead. "Look at me."

"Why?" he answered, his voice cracking. Her breath was near his ear now, tickling him.

She sighed, her lips almost caressing his ear. "Just do it."

Wally felt his resistance receding and obliged, slowly turning his head towards her. He winced all the while, his neck finally released from its prior position.

He was met by sharp blue eyes and felt his blush darken, if it was possible. Wanting to look anywhere but, he chose to stare at her lips instead, looking for a smirk. Instead he saw a frown, her soft pink lips curving downward. An urge to kiss them overwhelmed him and he ground his teeth to stop himself.

"You idiot, I knew it; you've been hurting your neck," Artemis said, her voice holding a ting of worry. Soft but firm hands made their way to his neck and he unconsciously tried to move away. She glared at him, pulling him back in her direction. "Don't move."

Her hands kneaded at his neck delicately, finding each pressure point and easing out the tension. Wally sighed contentedly, the stress flowing out of him. He found himself staring at her collarbone while she worked, how it shifted as she moved her arms and hands. The way it jutted outwards when she moved towards the back of his neck before settling down when she returned to the front; it was hypnotizing.

It was only minutes later that Wally noticed Artemis was no longer massaging his neck and a weight was on his right shoulder. Glancing to his right, he was dazed to see her asleep on him, arms holding onto his back.

He looked at the expression on her sleeping face and smiled, unable to feel the usual animosity he associated her appearance. Wrapping her arms around him, he shifted so she was leaning comfortably on him. Wally closed his eyes, his head nuzzling in her blonde hair. He briefly wondered what the others would think when they found them, the thought fading as he fell asleep.

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A/N: I know it's a bit early to imagine any romance (although many have and I have enjoyed ;D) but I could not help it. Let me know if it's any good!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice.

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Wally was literally shaking with anger, enough that for a moment he thought he could vibrate through a wall like his mentor.

Artemis was standing on the other side of the kitchen, smirking while chewing on one of Megan's first successful batch of snicker doodles. Robin stood next to her, laughing.

"What is with you?" Wally shouted, flailing his arms. "Why don't you just mind your own business?"

"Why don't you realize you're way out of your league?" Artemis retorted. She turned her back on him, opening the fridge and pulling out a carton of milk. She offered some to Robin before sitting on the counter, dipping her snicker doodle and taking a bite.

He glared at her all the while, his anger rising. He was beyond annoyed at how she could prod into his business, insult him, and then nonchalantly eat cookies in his face. And the look on Robin's face only added to it; some best friend he was.

"What does that matter to you?" Wally asked, moving in front of Artemis. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Robin exit the room but was too pissed off to notice.

She flipped her hair, waving him away. "You're a nuisance to Megan. She's just too nice to say it."

"Oh really? That coming from the _replacement_," he answered back with clenched teeth.

She was suddenly nose to nose with him, her eyes narrowed.

"Don't call me that. Ever."

He stared at her, feeling his anger recede and a light blush creeping up his neck. Her breath was cool on his face, and his eyes slowly trailed downward to her lips.

The room was a lot warmer and he had to force himself to keep from looking any lower, lifting his gaze back to her eyes. Her face was barely an inch away from his.

"Why do you act like that?"

Artemis lifted her eyebrow. "Like what?"

"You know," Wally said, scratching the back of his head. "Like a stuck up priss." He saw her glower at him and quickly added, "I mean sometimes you're nice, or at least to everyone else on team. And you were nice to me that time."

Artemis opened her mouth to ask him what he was talking about before promptly shutting it. She turned her face away from him, cheeks a light pink. "That was different. I just didn't want to hear you complaining for a week about how your neck hurt."

Even he could see clearly through that thinly veiled lie. "Yeah right," he scoffed. "You're not fooling anyone Beautiful." The minute it slipped out of his mouth he mentally slapped his forehead.

Artemis grinned wolfishly. "Beautiful? Lost your memories again?"

"That was-" he sputtered, his face turning redder by the second. "Like you should be talking Miss. Ninja Boyfriend!"

"Am-nesia," she replied angrily. They were both bright red now and glaring at each other like they had been a few minutes ago.

She broke the stare down by sliding slowly off the counter top, now looking everywhere else but at him. "I'm leaving."

He was about to answer back when a warm body fell on him, both of them falling down on the floor. He was pushed up against the fridge, Artemis sprawled on him. She had failed to notice the carton of milk she had placed precariously on the countertop, knocking it down when she got up and slipping in a pool of milk that was now staining their clothes.

Wally was acutely aware of every curve of her body and how it molded into his. A hot feeling filled the pit of his stomach, her knees straddling him.

She pulled back slightly so that they were at face level and dangerously close. He felt a tightness in chest and moved forward so that they were centimeters apart, staring intensely into her eyes. Artemis licked her lips as they moved to close the gap, both of them impatient.

The door to the kitchen swung open and Wally was sitting alone on the floor, dazed and confused. Robin walked in to see Artemis pick up a rag, swiftly wipe up the milk, throw away the carton, and leave the room. She mouthed 'slow' to Kid Flash as she exited, smiling.

"Dude!" Wally exclaimed, getting up from the floor with a flush. "I am seriously reconsidering our friendship."

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A/N: Thank you for the kind reviews, inspired me to write another part. That, and the sexy ass new episode on Friday.

Question: do you guys want me to respond to the reviews? I don't mind. Also, continue this?


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. But that would be a perfect birthday present.

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Artemis was crouched close to the ground, desperately trying to quiet her heavy breathing. After a few minutes she had cooled down and was listening attentively for the sound of footsteps. Ten minutes passed and she still had heard nothing. She slowly turned around, suspicious.

She was in a large warehouse, having been separated from the team while chasing a villain. Unfortunately this guy was a lot cleverer than she had anticipated, immediately taking to the shadows. She smiled to herself at the irony of it.

Something fell to her right and she whirled to that direction, arrow drawn back. However she saw nothing there. Artemis felt a chill run down her spine and decided she was tired of playing cat and mouse.

She carefully walked into the dead center of the warehouse where a lone light bulb illuminated the area. Her pupils dilated, adjusting from the sudden change in light.

"Come out. _Now_," she ordered, falling into a fighting stance. She was met by silence and for a moment wondered if the guy had already left.

Suddenly she was on the ground, her butt stinging from the hard fall onto the concrete, her bow and arrows gone. She grimaced as she got up and got back into her stance, but her resolve was weakened.

Artemis slowly walked in circles, trying to look around and see where her attacker was. Then a quick flash and she was on the ground again, her head knocking painfully against the floor.

Someone cackled in the background and she immediately recognized the voice.

"Dad?" she asked fiercely, propping herself up with her elbows. And once again she was pushed down, this time much more harshly than before. Her head made a loud crack and for a moment she saw stars.

"You know what you have to do," her father said, his voice dripping with venom. He seemed to be everywhere, or maybe that was because of the blow she received on the skull.

Artemis considered getting up, not wanting to comply with her father's orders. But the moment she moved her head upward her vision became dizzy and bile filled her mouth. She lay down on the floor, taking a deep breath and holding it.

Her eyes were squeezed shut as she stayed still, listening. After several minutes she could hold her breath no longer and was about to open her mouth when she felt a presence next to her. Biting her tongue, she begged her body to hold out just a bit longer as the person knelt down next to her.

A large, warm hand grabbed at her head, pulling her up. Artemis instantly opened her eyes and pounced on the attacker, slamming her forehead against his and pushing her knees onto his chest, crushing his lungs.

Her dark blue eyes met black and she almost let go of him in shock. Kid Flash was pinned beneath her, struggling to get out of her grasp. Except it wasn't him; his bright red hair and ridiculously loud costume was the same, but the face that glared at her was almost feral in nature. He even snapped at her, small fangs peeking out of his mouth. She pushed onto to him harder as he resisted and loosened when he began to cough.

The voice spoke again, this time louder. "Kill him," her father said. "Kill him now."

At the sound of the voice Kid Flash bucked against her, pushing wildly. Artemis thought with a laugh that if he hadn't looked this disturbing, the situation would have almost been erotic.

She quickly reached into her back pocket and pulled out a small knife, pressing it against his neck. A thin line of blood appeared, dripping down his neck. The sight of it made her draw back, hand shaking.

"Kill him!" her father shouted. "Kill him like the others; do it now!"

She looked around, trying to locate the voice, before looking back at him. Wally's eyes were bright green again and a horrified look was on his face.

"Artemis," he said, shocked. "What are you doing?"

She looked back at her hand, the knife glinting red. She dropped it and leapt off of him, her body trembling.

A door flew by her and she turned around to see the team walk in, Superboy throwing things out of the way.

"What's going on?" Aqualad asked, walking towards them.

Megan gasped, her hand covering her mouth. Superboy wrapped a protective arm around her while scowling at Artemis. Robin just stared at her, frowning.

Artemis looked back and forth between the team and Wally, shaking her head furiously. "It isn't what it looks like, I swear!" she exclaimed in a panic, her voice rising.

She slowly backed up, her back hitting the boxes behind her roughly. She shot out of bed, breathing unevenly.

"Artemis?" her mother called from the room next to hers, bed creaking. "Are you alright?"

She ran a hand through her hair; the bright yellow reminded her of him. She rubbed the goose bumps on her arms away and glanced at the clock; the team was meeting in an hour for their next mission.

"I'm fine," Artemis replied with a pause, getting up from her small bed. She threw on her costume and rushed out of the apartment, giving her mom a quick goodbye.

An hour later she arrived at Mount Justice and was halfheartedly listening to Megan recount the show she had seen. The whole team was there, minus Kid Flash who was late yet again. She looked around the room anxiously, ignoring the looks Aqualad and Robin were giving her.

A yellow flash burst into the room, stopping in the middle of the group. "Sorry I'm late!" Wally said, grinning at Megan. "I was getting my fortune told." He wagged his eyebrows.

The team exchanged looks, a collective mental sigh. Artemis walked up to him, coming face to face. She looked at his face intensely, peering into his eyes.

"Uh," he stated, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Can I help you?"

The tension that had filled her body finally relaxed; nothing had changed. Artemis smiled. "Just checking. You're still an idiot."

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A/N: Thank you for all the kind reviews! It seems the more I get, the more inspired I am to write (cough)

It's definitely less romance, trying my hand at action now. Not very interesting, I know, but please review x) **Oh and if its OOC PLEASE comment on that. **It's my ultimate fear.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice - but if I did there would be no damn hiatus.

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Wally leaned against a light post, flashing smiles at the girls passing by on the sidewalk. Most ignored him, choosing to laugh once they were out of earshot. The team watched him in pity; he was either too dumb to notice they were mocking him or too desperate to care. Every so often he would flash a glance at Megan, who was busy staring at Superboy, who was glaring at a statue of Superman being erected in the park across from them.

"Did we really have to do this?" Artemis questioned, sighing deeply.

Megan looked away from Superboy, blushing lightly. "Of course! Batman said we're free today and I saw on a show that this is what friends do to have fun: hang out!"

Kaldur nodded in agreement. "We can also build team relations. This is an excellent exercise."

Artemis sighed again and folded her arms across her chest. "Fine," she conceded, "But while Kid Idiot over there gets rejected I'm going to the arcade."

She began to turn around and stopped halfway, peering intently at the other side of the street. "Is that Robin?" she asked in awe.

All but Kid Flash looked to see Robin surrounded by several much older and very attractive women, giggling and pressing themselves on him. He was grinning cockily, arms wrapped around the waist of two of women that stood on either side of him.

Artemis smiled smugly at the sight, her dark blue eyes glinting with mischief. "Hey Wally!"

Wally glanced at her for a second, glaring, before focusing on the girl in front of him. He was busy winking at a brunette standing nearby, a creepy smile on his face.

"Hey gorgeous," he said, starting to walk towards her. She looked him up and down before whipping out her phone and calling someone, quickly walking away.

His shoulders slumped slightly and he trudged his way back to where the team was standing, head hanging low. Artemis almost laughed; he looked like a puppy that was denied a treat – she could almost see his dropping tail.

"What do you want," he snapped at her. She recoiled slightly from his tone, pity soon replaced by anger.

She replied acidly, "Why don't you find out; look over there." She pointed at Robin.

He lifted his head and gawked at the scene. Robin said something with a smirk and the women immediately laughed, reaching out to grab him and hold him tightly. Wally's jealously was written all over his face, ears burning.

"How does he do that?" he asked indignantly, watching the women kiss Robin goodbye as he made his way back to the team.

"Intelligence, charm, good looks…" Artemis listed, counting each one with her hand.

He glowered, standing up straight. "I have all of that! And I don't see you attracting any guys."

She reached into her back pocket, pulling out a wad of papers with phone numbers. Wally scowled, muttering under his breath. Robin finally returned to the team, smiling.

"Alright, well now that we're all here why don't we go to the arcade Artemis mentioned?" Megan said brightly. They nodded and walked down the street, Wally and Robin lagging behind.

"Dude," Wally asked quietly, "how did you get all those girls?"

Robin smiled mysteriously, glancing at Artemis who was a few paces in front of him. "Just something Batman taught me."He smoothly made his way to her side and wrapped his arm around her waist. She thought about shrugging him off and walking away when she saw Wally's furious face behind them. Instead, she giggling and let Robin hold her.

"I said girls, not beasts," Wally replied audibly, smiling at Artemis's frown and catching up to Superboy and Megan. He placed his arm on her shoulders, eyebrows wagging. "So Megan, baby, you like games?"

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A/N: Thank you for the kind and helpful reviews x) Tell me what you think about this one (OOC or not).


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice.

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Wally was walking through the hallways of Mount Justice, looking for Robin who disappeared while they were playing video games. He was running quickly around but came to a sudden halt when he heard murmuring voice coming from a behind a door to his right. He immediately recognized them after a moment; it was Aqualad and Artemis. His eyes narrowed at the thought of her and turned to leave and continue searching for Robin when he heard Artemis shout.

"Wait, not there!"

Wally's eyes widened in shock, ears pressed to the door. She let out a sharp gasp, followed by breathy sound of surprise.

"Oh! Wow, you're good," she exclaimed, her voice a mixture of awe and delight.

"Thank you. You are quite talented as well."

"But nowhere near as good as you are. I'm unrefined and sloppy compared to you, and I always finish too quickly."

"I have to disagree; you're much more passionate than I am. I can feel it."

Wally's eyebrows were furrowed in confusion; what were they talking about?

"Are they doing what I think they're doing?"

He looked over his right shoulder and saw Robin next to him. Robin had a frown on his face as he pulled out a listening device, attached it to the door and put on his earphones.

"Thanks Kaldur," she answered with a flustered voice. "You practice often?"

"Yes; my King has taught me most of what I know. He and the queen are exceptionally skillful at it."

"He taught you one on one?"

"Yes, and he also let me observe himself and the queen in order to study their various positions."

At this point Robin's face was the epitome of shock and horror. Wally motioned at him to explain, but Robin ignored him. Without warning, a large shadow appeared over his shoulder and Kid Flash whirled around. Superboy was standing behind him, his face grim.

"What are you doing?" Superboy asked brusquely. Wally gestured for him to be silent, pointing at the door. He looked like he was going to say something back but decided not to, opting to stand with them and listen along.

"They must have a lot of free time then."

"On the contrary: they are always busy. But my King and Queen are always finding time to continue; sometimes they finish in 5 minutes or less."

"Impressive. Mind showing me what they've taught you?"

"Of course. Tonight at 8?"

"Sure, but don't let anyone else on the team know. I don't need anyone prying into my private business."

A cheerful voice filled the air and the three boys froze. "Hey guys, what are you all doing here in the hallway?"

Megan walked towards them, a bright smile on her face. Wally was about to bolt out of the vicinity when the door opened and he fell into the room, getting a face full of moldy carpet. He looked up to see an angry Artemis glaring down at him and Kaldur smiling quietly.

He looked behind them to see several canvases of artwork placed around the room, as well as tubes of paint and paintbrushes. He was a bit disappointed to find it was only paintings; he had hoped he'd be able to get some blackmail on her.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped at him as he got up, a murderous look on her face. Her hand reached out to smack him but was stopped by Aqualad, who gave her a kind but hard look in the eye. She sighed and relented, crossing her arms instead. Their interaction made Wally twinge with annoyance, but he brushed the feeling aside.

Robin had, as usual, disappeared and he glanced around desperately. Wally fumbled through excuses in his mind for a few seconds before answering, "Leaving." A split second later he running out of the room, a bewildered Megan and Superboy now subjected to Artemis's oncoming tirade.

Kid Flash was at the entrance of the hideout about to leave when he spotted Robin up ahead. Wally sped towards him, annoyed.

"Thanks a lot Rob; you could have warned a guy!" he grumbled.

Robin laughed in response. "It's not my fault you're so slow."

"Hah hah," he answered, voice sarcastic. Then he asked, "So what did you think they were talking about? I looked inside and they had a bunch of paintings everywhere."

Robin stared at him a moment, pensive. Then a wide grin broke across his face. "That's what I thought."

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A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed and sorry this is such a late update! School and such... But I already have 2 more chapter ideas so those updates should be up in a few days.

OH and this is a drawing NinjaBunnyOverload made of my last chapter; check it out and leave some comments please! .com/art/Close-Quarters-202686872

Ah and same as usual; review on what you thought about the chapter, OOC moments, etc. S'il te plait.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. If I did, there wouldn't be any damn reruns when new episodes should be coming out :0

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Artemis watched Kid Flash pace around the small cell room with annoyance, sitting on the floor with her back to a wall. He barely glanced at her, instead looking around the room and muttering to himself.

She sighed heavily, her discontent slowly turning into resignation. "That vibrating molecule move would have really come in handy huh?" she said teasingly.

He gave her a half-hearted glare, his green eyes mirroring the submission in hers. "Even if I had food, which I don't, I still wouldn't be able to."

Wally groaned, slamming his fists against the wall. She watched him; he was easy to read since you could see all his emotions in his face. He was worried about how long they'd be there, about the rest of the team – probably about Megan. She felt an ache in her chest at the thought of it but brushed it aside, choosing to continue to study him. Behind the obvious worry was contemplation; he was trying to think of a way to escape but was failing, as seen by his frustration.

He pressed his head lightly against the cool stone of the wall, eyes shut. She shifted slightly so as to get a better angle when he opened his eyes and stared back at her.

They peered at one another for a while, searching. Artemis saw that behind the deceptively bright, cheerful green eyes were a great deal of grief and shame. She gave him a questioning glance, to which he responded with a gesture towards the wall.

"You know you're right," he said dejectedly, "if I was Flash we'd be out of here in a cinch."

She felt another pain in her chest, but this one was different. She had never seen him so depressed and it bothered her.

"Yeah well if I was Superboy I could have knocked this wall down," Artemis said, waving her hand offhandedly. He gave a look that said 'you know that's not what I mean' but she disregarded it, continuing.

"That doesn't matter since it doesn't change anything. You win some, you lose some. Now sit down and wait for the team to get us."

Wally looked at her strangely before sitting down next to her, grinning. "I never thought I'd get a pep talk from you."

She blushed lightly, embarrassed. "Don't get used to it."

They sat in silence for a while, shoulders brushing slightly. She felt her eyes drooping and fought to stay awake.

His shoulder suddenly dropped and she glanced at him. Wally was leaning down, his shoulder slouched in her direction. Even when he was pointedly avoiding her gaze she could see the blush on his cheeks. Artemis smiled to herself and rested her head gingerly on his shoulder, wondering when she got so soft.

"So why did you decide to replicate Flash's experiment?" she asked.

Kid Flash looked back her frowning, his face still somewhat red. "Why do you want to know?"

"Just curious," she answered.

He frowned at her for a second longer before staring ahead, reminiscing. "It wasn't really a decision so much as it was an accident. I met Flash and we went down to his lab where he showed me how he got his powers. Then by sheer luck I was struck by lightning and bam, I was Kid Flash."

"So it was because of luck huh?"

He huffed indignantly. "_No._ It was luck that I happened to be there just when the vat of chemicals was set up and lightening struck. But the _science_ of the experiment was what gave me my powers, not supernatural forces."

At this point he was steaming mad, his chest heaving. Artemis bit her tongue to hold back a giggle.

"You really are a nerd huh?" she said with a smile, snuggling into his shoulder.

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A/N: It's doesn't really look like a cliffhanger, but it is. Thank you for all the reviews and once again por favor tell me what you liked, what you didn't like. Sorry updates are so infrequent but without new episodes the well of inspiration is drying up. And I feel like I'm forgetting their characterizations. Time to re-watch!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. If it wasn't obvious.

NOTE: EDIT OF CHAPTER. MINORISH CHANGES. BTW I'm on hiatus due to exams. Kthanxbai.

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Wally squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. His heart was pounding wildly as he stared down at the mop of blonde hair resting on his shoulder. This day couldn't get any weirder.

He tried thinking of how annoying, obnoxious and bossy she is, but the feeling of rage that would fill him was strangely absent. Instead he found he was hyper aware of her every breath, of the long muscular legs that were strewn across his, and the sweet smell of jasmine that radiated from her body.

Artemis then moved up higher, placing her head in the crook of his neck, lips inches away. He groaned, his costume suddenly feeling 10 times tighter.

She sniggered. "Getting flustered?"

He fought back the blush on his cheeks, annoyed. "No," he said adamantly. "Just …" he paused, thinking of what to say.

She sat up, locking eyes with him. "Just what?"

"Just…" he began, his voice trailing. She leaned into him, the tips of their noses touching.

Wally felt his eyes droop and inched towards her, staring at her pursed lips. Artemis's eyes were closed and she held her breath, expectant.

Their lips brushed lightly at first, hesitant. She grew annoyed though and pushed against his impatiently, teeth nipping. He let out a low moan before pressing on to her, tongue sliding across her lower lip.

They moved to the floor, her back pressed onto the floor as they kissed furiously. He groaned when her knee jerked upward, rubbing him slowly. After a moment they parted for air and Wally lowered himself to continue when his eyes spotted something next to her head.

When she noticed he had stopped Artemis sat up, glaring at him.

"What are you looking at?"

He didn't answer, instead reaching toward a small pool of dark liquid that was next to where her head used to be. He lingered for a moment, getting closer until a strong scent of iron hit his nose.

"Your bleeding?" he asked, half question, half statement.

She looked sheepishly away, scratching the back of her head.

"A tad," she answered, pulling her hand back to reveal blood. "But it's no big deal; I get these all the time-"

Artemis lost her breath when he pulled her around and into his lap. Wally searched through her hair till he found the spot; a large gash on her skull leaking rapidly, probably because of its proximity to a large artery. She probably got this when one of the henchmen knocked her out.

He almost smacked his own forehead, finally understanding Megan's "Hello Megan?" He should have noticed she was acting so strange, being nice and flirty and… his face heated up as he remembered the more recent events. She had an excuse, severe head trauma, but he had none.

Wally put it out of his mind though, focusing on the situation. He finally noticed that the back of her uniform was covered in blood, though it blended with the dark colors and poor lighting.

He stood up and Artemis followed suit but wobbled slightly, unbalanced. He quickly grabbed her arm and held her up. She looked back at him, a peculiar expression on her face. He ignored it and scooped her up bridal style. Surprisingly she didn't protest, instead mumbling "déjà-vu" and nuzzling into his chest. His heart sped up at this but he bit his tongue and blocked her out, eyes trained on the flowing river of blood from her head.

Wally closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. He had almost no energy, was nowhere near ready, and this could very well make things even worse for them, especially for her. But he had to try.

He began to walk in place, body a blur. Gradually speeding up, he staged it in out in his mind like he had dozens of other times, calculating. He continued to move faster and Artemis gripped his arm tightly. Then, with a burst, he ran straight through the wall and into the hallway.

He opened his eyes when Artemis tapped on his shoulder.

"You did it," she said, her voice a whisper. Her face was deathly pale and body limp.

Fear gripped Wally's chest and he scanned the hallway. He could hear voices nearby; it was time to move. He gave her a cocky grin, disguising his worry. "Don't worry Beautiful. Just hold on."

Artemis let out a weak giggle, her cheeks pink. She mumbled incoherently. "Is that supposed to be heroic?"

He shrugged, slightly embarrassed, and in less than a second they were racing through the building. He nimbly dodged attacks from guards along the way, most too surprised that they actually escaped. They made it to the top in record timing where the team was waiting, about to make their way in.

Superboy ran past them, heading straight for the stray guards that were making their way to the team. Megan rushed over, picking Artemis up, who had promptly passed out when she saw the team.

"What happened?" she asked worriedly. "Are you alright? I'm so sorry, I couldn't find you and then I-"

Wally held up a hand, cutting her off. He then gestured to the back of Artemis's head. Megan shrieked at the sight of the blood before rushing off, calling Aqualad.

Robin approached his best friend, supporting one of his shoulders as Wally slumped forward, exhausted. "We couldn´t find you for three days; we only just got here. Where did you get the energy to run here? Your food supply must have been out."

He gave Robin a nonchalant shrug; eyes trained on the team ahead who was careful moving Artemis into the bioship. "Dunno."

Robin gave him a suspicious glance, looking back and forth between Kid Flash and Artemis. "You okay?"

He sighed, trudging towards the bio ship. "No. I'm tired and hungry," he complained. Then he added, "And I didn't even get a souvenir!"

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A/N: Leave review if you haven't already, made some changes due to a detailed review. And if you didn't read the note above, I'd like to mention that I'm on hiatus because of exams.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice.

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Artemis walked down the streets with care, bow and arrows in hand. The team had a recent encounter with the League of Shadows and their henchmen; namely, Cheshire. They split up into groups of two, except for her; she volunteered to go alone. More for her benefit than theirs.

She walked briskly down the sidewalk, pausing when she passed by a large wall enclosing an office near the outskirts of the city. Her bow was ready and she aimed towards a dark patch of the wall. She stayed like that for two minutes before a mocking laugh filled the air.

Cheshire materialized out of the dark, the exact spot Artemis had been aiming for. She followed the villain with her arrow, which looked on to the teenager with amusement.

"I see you haven't forgotten everything." Cheshire purred, walking closer to her. Artemis's only response was to tighten her grip on the bow, poised to shoot.

She waved the girl off, sitting gracefully on the wall and crossing her legs. "Don't bother; both you and I know you can't shoot me."

The archer hesitated, examined the woman. After a moment she lowered her weapon but kept it in her grasp, body tense.

"What do you want?"

Cheshire looked at her in surprise for a second, followed by a smirk. "You know what I want."

Artemis frowned. "And you know my answer."

The woman sighed, glancing at her nails in boredom. "You really should reconsider."

"Oh really?" Artemis answered with mock wonder, "And why is that?"

Looking down, Cheshire sneered at the archer, nostrils flaring.

"It's lucky your little boyfriend was there to help you."

She huffed indignantly, cheeks stained red. "He's not my boyfriend."

Cheshire scoffed, ignoring her response. "Regardless, the Shadows are not pleased. It's time you made a decision as to where you want to be. And if it's _against_…" her voice trailed, a vindictive smile on her face. "You and your friends will be disposed of."

Artemis stiffened, eyes narrowed. "Don't bring them into this."

Cheshire barked out a laugh before glaring at her. "You have no say in this." She leapt off the wall she had been sitting on, passing by Artemis and stopping once they were shoulder to shoulder.

"If I were you," she threatened voice low and dangerous, "I would quit this little hero game you've been playing and return to reality. You are who you are and nothing can change that."

Giving Artemis's shoulder a hard shove, Cheshire walked away, disappearing into the black of the night. Artemis wobbled slightly before balancing her body and turning around, staring at the direction Cheshire had left.

Then she glanced in the opposite direction, towards the city and Mount Justice. A series of faces and flashbacks flew through her mind, painfully sweet feelings rising in her chest and choking her. She swallowed harshly, fighting back the nauseous feeling.

Red hair and green eyes dominated her thoughts and memories. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to press the images out of her mind. Instead, the only grew stronger and more persistent. She opened her eyes and stared up at the night sky, littered by a few stars that were still visible until the smog of pollution that layered the area.

Artemis couldn't deny it; she felt something for him. He constantly plagued her thoughts, no matter how hard she tried to force him out of them. He was the only thing that held her to the team.

Her eyes widened with this realization, grip tightening on the bow in her hands.

Wally was the reason she was still with the team, why she continued to deny the demands to return to the Shadows. Why in a span of 9 months she had gone from skilled archer to love stricken fool.

He was her only weakness.

Artemis took a deep breath and gave the city a long glance. Turning slowly to the right, she plunged into the darkness.

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A/N: Let me know what you think. Sorry for super late update, but I had exams and then lack of motivation. I know this chapter seems a bit random but don't worry, I'll explain what happened between this and the previous chapter after she and Wally escaped.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice.

* * *

The sound of crumpling foil and noisy chewing was the first thing Artemis was greeted by as she awoke. Her eyebrow twitched at each crunchy bite, frustration levels rising with every passing second. She closed her eyes tightly, taking in a deep breath, and sat up.

Wally sat across from her, face burrowed in a giant bat of chip. She would have rolled her eyes at the familiar sight of her teammate's bottomless pit of a stomach, but a rush dizziness overtook her and room began to spin. She quickly laid her head back down on the pillow and looked around once her mind cleared.

Artemis was in the infirmary of Mount Justice, laying in one of the many hospital beds that lined the walls of the room. She noticed an IV line in her right arm as well as several bandages. Her free hand patted the back of her head lightly and felt thick bandages covering her skull.

What happened? she wondered curiously, trying to remember how she got those injuries. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she attempted to recollect the mission's events, but the only thing she could remember was when Kid Flash and her were captured and separated from the team.

The sound of crinkling had stopped, and she heard the creak of a chair of Kid Flash rose. Artemis's first reaction was to close her eyes and act like she was asleep, only to wonder why she was feigning sleep in the first place.

She felt his presence next to her bed, leaning over the railings alongside of it. Her heart was beginning to race, pounding so loud she actually thought he could hear it. 'Why am I nervous?' she asked herself, confused. A feeling of body warmth washed over her and she could feel he was extremely close; too close. Her eyes were itching to open, to see what he was doing.

It continued on for what felt to Artemis like hours, but was probably only minutes: the body heat of Kid Flash hovering over her, inching closer, and her tenuous control of her body as it fought to squirm under the heated gaze she felt she was under.

Suddenly she felt him lean closer, specifically over her face. Panicked thoughts raced through her mind on what to do, if to do anything. Unconsciously, her lips pursed in anticipation, a soft tint of pink settling upon her cheeks.

A loud crinkle of foil halted all thoughts in her mind, followed by extremely loud munching. Artemis's eyes flew open and she sat up, butting heads with a very surprised Kid Flash.

"Woah!" he shouted, pushed back from the force, and lost his balance, unceremoniously crashing onto the floor. Artemis lowered her head slightly to quell the oncoming dizzy spell and glared at him intensely, eyes a steely blue.

"Do that again and I'll knock your jaw shut."

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the long wait, I've been on vay-cay and extremely uninspired since there hasn't been any new episodes (minus the one they by mistake put on the cartoon network website). I'll be responding to the reviews I've received and thank you for reading x) Also, you're invited to give me ideas!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. Never have, never will.

* * *

Wally walked cautiously into the kitchen, head ducked and knees slightly bent. Relief washed over him when he saw the room was empty and he immediately opened the fridge, pulling out a pack of chocolate pudding.

He grabbed a spoon out of the dishwasher, opened one of the puddings while tucking the rest under his other arm, and began eating as he made his way to the living room.

"Well, I, uhm," he heard Megan say in an embarrassed tone. Wally grinned and picked up the pace until he was at the corner before the room, planning to dash in and charm Megan.

Artemis's voice rang out like a bell, her voice filled with muffled laughter. "It's okay, I know. The way you two look at each other, it isn't exactly a secret."

Wally screeched to a halt, spoon in mouth. _She_ was there. He was about to bolt out of there but Megan was answering back, and he was curious as to what they were talking about.

"Oh," she began, stuttering, "I-I had no idea. I mean, I had hoped that he felt the same way but I was just too nervous to ask and of course, 'Hello Megan!' right?"

He peered around the corner and saw the two girls sitting on the couch, backs facing his direction. Megan was braiding Artemis's hair, but by the looks of it the last part had come out rushed as she rambled on.

Then he considered what they were talking about, and a cocky smile filled his face. He always knew Megan liked him, he had seen the signs. The way she pretended she wasn't listening to him and then talked to Superboy; no doubt a ploy to make him jealous. His chest puffed out and he was tempted to strut out arrogantly into the living room and rub it in the archer's face.

Artemis turned around slightly, giving Megan a knowing look. "Trust me, no guy looks at a girl like that unless he's interested."

The Martian girl blushed in response, a wide smile on her face. Then she frowned slightly, looking sadly at her. "But aren't you also…?" she questioned.

Artemis raised an eyebrow, confused, before realizing what her teammate was talking about. Kid Flash mirrored the girl's confusion, ignoring the pounding in his chest.

"Oh," she responded, waving her hand in the air, "no I'm not interested in him. I thought he was cute, but I prefer my men more…" Her voice trailed off.

Megan pressed on. "More… like you?" she asked. She saw the perplexed look on the archer's face and added, "I mean an archer."

Wally frowned, finding himself disappointed and peeved. He didn't understand why he felt this way, why his chest hurt so much, since Megan had all but proclaimed her love for him.

Artemis laughed softly, understanding who she meant. "Definitely not." Then she turned back around, allowing Megan to finish the braid.

Her response gave the speedster a rush of relief, which he promptly avoided, choosing to look at the blonde instead. He gave her a look of appraisal, eyes traveling down the length of the braid and stopping right at the waist, vision obscured by the Martian. For a moment he impatiently wanted to push the girl out of the way, before realizing that this was Megan he was talking about.

"Hey," Artemis said, breaking the silence, "is it just me, or has Kid–Runs–A–Lot been avoiding me?" His face twitched at the name, but he remained still, waiting for the answer.

Megan thought for a moment before nodding. "I've noticed that too. And I've been meaning to ask…" her voice paused before asking carefully. "Did something happen between you and Wally during that last mission?"

Kid Flash all but fell over at the question, clutching the empty pudding cups that he almost dropped. He blushed, reliving the mission's events in his head. How did she know?

The archer abruptly stood up, startling her teammate, who began to babble. "Never mind, just forget about that question, I'm always asking things I shouldn't. Just the other day Superboy was telling me-"

"Megan," Artemis interrupted, facing her friend, "relax, its fine." Then she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "To be honest, I have no idea. Everything that happened after we were put in the cell is a blur."

"Oh," Megan said quietly, and Artemis continued, "Plus, I can't even find out since he's too busy playing hide and go seek." She huffed, annoyed.

Wally's ears were slightly red from embarrassment and anger. He thought no one had noticed he was avoiding her, but obviously he was wrong.

A ding filled the silence and Megan stood up, smiling. "The cookies are done!" He saw her coming his way and dropped the pudding cups, dashing out of the room. She flew over them without notice, but Artemis paused at the corner, picking one of them up.

Her face filled with rage as she threw one down, yelling.

"Wally!"

* * *

A/N: Thank you for all the reviews, this update came soon! xD It would have been even quicker but to be honest, I've been a taaad lazy. As usual, please leave reviews!


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice!

* * *

A dribble of soda trialed down from Wally's chin as he openly stared at two girls in the booth across from them. Robin and Artemis simultaneously rolled their eyes, the former giving his best friend a quick jab in the stomach to stop. The girls, however, had already noticed his staring and left their meal at the table before leaving in an undisguised rush.

He kept watching them as they walked away though, a goofy smile on his face while mindlessly drinking from his soda.

"Don't you get tired of rejection?" Artemis asked with a smirk, head resting in her hand.

He broke out of his trance and glowered at her. "I wasn't rejected!" Robin looked pointedly at him but Wally ignored him, pouting.

She scoffed, arms folded across her chest. "Oh really? So the fact that they didn't finish eating and almost flew out of here after seeing you oglingat them means nothing?"

Wally sputtered and blushed, trying to come up with a comeback. He was interrupted by the arrival of their waiter, who served two large burgers with cheese fries and a salad. The redhead at once grabbed at one of the burgers before giving a questioning look to Robin, glancing at the other burger.

"Rob, I thought you always ate light?" he asked when firm, but clearly feminine hands snagged the remaining burger.

Robin replied with a smile, "I do," and reached for the salad. Artemis grinned, licking her lips at the sight of the triple-decker burger in front of her. "Surprised?"

Kid Flash gulped and wiped the look of astonishment off his face. He glared at her and answered, "Not really. A _normal_ girl wouldn't eat something like that."

Artemis shrugged her shoulders as she picked up the burger, uncaring. "Glad I'm not normal then." She swiftly bit into the burger, her mouth barely containing all the meat and cheese oozing out.

Even behind the shades the Boy Wonder looked impressed. Wally was as well. He found himself transfixed as he watched the archer bite into the burger, her lips enveloping the meat and bun fiercely, yet delicately, her tongue occasionally poking out as her teeth nipped at the edges. By the time she finished, he hadn't taken a single bite out of his meal.

She was leaning towards him now, her countenance and tone expressing her worry. Her face was inches away from his, close enough that he could see a crumb on her lower lip. He felt an overwhelming urge to lick it off.

"Not hungry?"

Wally leaned back, startled. Then his face lit up, red all over and he jumped out of the booth, surprising his teammates.

"B-bathroom," he stammered and dashed to the restroom. The two looked at one another in confusion.

"But he didn't eat anything…"

* * *

A/N: Once again, thank you for the very kind reviews! I might update again in a few days because I'll be gone for two weeks on vaycay again :D So as usual, please leave reviews on what you liked, what you didn't like, and what you want to see happen!


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice!

* * *

"We have failed again," Aqualad said in a heavy voice, head bowed in shame. The team was reporting back to Batman after their latest mission in protecting high tech scientific equipment as it was transported to a new facility.

Robin frowned, shaking his head slowly in frustration. "I don't understand how, we did everything how we were supposed to! There was no hidden tracker or GPS; nothing that could've given us away. So why…"

His voice trailed off, followed by a palpable silence. No one looked at each another, instead staring at the ground. Several minutes passed before Batman cleared his throat, startling the teens out of the cloud of gloom that hung over their heads.

"Either way, you followed orders and the technology isn't irreplaceable, so you can consider this mission a success." He gave Aqualad a quick nod before turning and walking away.

The teammates looked at one another is surprise; did Batman just try to cheer them up? Robin broke the silence with a laugh, his trademark cocky smile returning. "We must have messed up pretty bad if The Bats had to cheer us up."

Kid Flash immediately followed with a laugh of his own, grinning back at his best friend. "Yeah, that was weird. Never thought I'd see Batman being the cheerleader." The best friends stared at each other for a few seconds before bursting into hysterics. Artemis and Kaldur watched them with a half smile while Superboy stared with a raised eyebrow and the hint of a grin.

Everyone's mood was soon lifted as Artemis proceeded to taunt and tease Wally into a fury; Robin and Aqualad watched while making bets as to when they'd go out. Superboy looked at the scene for a moment before noticing Megan was missing from the group's festivities. He turned around just as she walked quietly by, heading down the same hallway Batman had disappeared through earlier.

Superboy paused for a moment, contemplating what to do, before going after her. He quickened his pace and was about to call out to her when he saw her pause in front of a door. The Martian had a serious look on her face, worry dominating her features. She fiddled with a piece of her hair for a few seconds before balling her hands into fists, going into camouflage, opening the door slightly, and slipping in, closing the door shut. Superboy stepped carefully up to the door and listened intently.

"- we can't continue to let her go out like this, she could seriously get hurt," Green Arrow insisted, followed by the sound of a fist pounding on wood.

Batman replied, his agitation poor disguised, "She knows the risks, and she accepted this from early on. And until we find out exactly what the Shadows and the Light are up to, we can't stop."

Green Arrow laughed harshly. "We're as close to finding out as we'll ever be. You've noticed how their missions keep failing because somehow they're always one step ahead of us – don't pretend you haven't, I know you've been watching them – how the information she gives us is never quite right. We're being played as long as we continue this."

The Martian Manhunter interjected, "I have to disagree on your last statement Green Arrow; I have looked into her mind several times and find no falsehood in her statements or memories. Everything we've been told is true."

"Then why do we keep messing up? Why are we always too late?" Green Arrow shouted. He was answered by silence, followed by the scraping of a chair.

"You're sure what she's saying is true?" Batman asked.

"Yes," the Manhunter replied.

"Then there's nothing left to say."

More chairs scraped against the floor and Superboy took this as his cue to leave. Megan flew out of the room a few seconds later, catching up with him once they reached the kitchen.

"You… you were listening too?" Megan asked, cheeks pink with embarrassment.

"Yeah," he answered, smiling lightly. He couldn't blame her for her curiosity.

She was fiddling with her hair again and biting her lip. "I didn't plan on it, but after what Robin said I just couldn't stop wondering what was going on. I was just going to talk to Batman about it, but then I saw they were all together in a room and I …" she paused in her ramblings, a dejected look on her face.

Superboy was surprised; he had always thought she was carefree, if not a bit of an airhead. She had given this greater consideration than the rest of the team had, himself included. Unsure how to cheer her up, he awkwardly patted her head, averting her gaze.

"It's alright," he said quietly. His hand had stopped now and rested gingerly on her head.

A peaceful calm filled the room. They both tried their best not to look at one another, but their eyes were drawn together. Both of them blushing brightly, the Martian decided to break the ice.

"It's Artemis," she said. He gave her a confused look and she added, "Who they were talking about. It was Artemis."

Superboy chucked, "I figured. Didn't think Green Arrow would be so upset if it wasn't."

Megan laughed as well but a frown curled onto her lips again. "It sounds like she's in danger." She looked up at him, brown eyes big with concern. "What should we do?"

He gulped, fingers threading through her hair against his will (not really). "Nothing, for now. Batman will take care of it."

She nodded and they stayed quiet; less than a foot away from each other. He looked down at the same time she looked up at him, staring. His hand traveled down from her hair to the side of her face, thumb caressed her cheeks. She leaned into his touch, closing her eyes. He felt his own cheeks grow warm as he studied her, watching the rhythm of her chest as it rose and fell. A strand of hair fell on her cheeks and he brushed it away, pushing it behind her ear. His fingers lightly brushed the outer part of her ear, earning a shiver.

Her eyes opened slowly, glazed over with an unknown emotion that was mirrored in his own. She pursed her lips slightly, eyes narrowing as his lips lowered to meet hers. They were less than a fraction away, _so close_, when he heard approaching footsteps. He stepped away from her, looking the other way as their teammates stormed into the kitchen.

"Hey guys! Didn't know you were still here…" Megan smiled brightly at them. A little too bright. For a split second she turned her face away and Superboy thought he saw her blot her eyes, pouting.

Kid Flash moved closer to Megan, giving her a rather lecherous smile. "I was hoping for dessert."

The Martian was clueless to his none-too-obvious suggestion, but Superboy wasn't. In a sweep he grabbed at Megan, pulling her close to him in a possessive but rather gentle hold.

"Sorry," he growled, "but we're busy." He then proceeding to basically carry her out, an astounded but delighted look on her face.

Wally watched the encounter with equal surprise, but Artemis just sighed and smacked the back of his head. Robin and Aqualad exited the room at this point, tired of hearing their constant banter and sexual tension.

He whirled around to face her, yelling. "Ouch! What was that for?"

She shook her head and rolled her eyes in disbelief. "For being such an idiot."

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A/N: I feel like a cheating girlfriend with my constant excuses as to why my updates are so late. This time it's college, even though it is a legitimate excuse! I've got seven classes and tons of homework x/ But enough of that! I have -gasp- an actual plot coming along. I've been writing it up and so far, so good. Also trying to write longer chapters. Wow, this was a long note. Thanks for the reviews, leave more please, kthanxbai.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. But I'm damn glad it's back :D

* * *

"So then glycolysis takes sugars and breaks them down to the two-carbon compound acetyl CoA. During this process some ATP is generated to hold the energy released during the process, and some NAD is converted to NADH … are you even listening?"

Wally stopped midsentence to glare at Artemis who sheepishly smiled while covering her doodle covered paper.

They were in Wally's dining room which was temporarily converted into a makeshift classroom. Wally stood in front of a marker board facing Artemis, who was sitting in one of the dining room chairs.

"Yeah, totally, sugars and stuff," Artemis said quickly, averting his gaze. Wally sighed in frustration, putting the marker back on the board.

"If you're not gonna listen, then what's the point of asking me to teach you?" he asked in annoyance, cleaning the board with an eraser.

She ran her hands through her hair, closing her eyes shut. "It's not that I don't want to, it's just-"

He cut her off, picking up the marker again and beginning to write on the board, "If anything why don't you ask Robin to help you, after all he does…". The sentence trailed off, followed by a palpable silence.

Artemis gave him a questioning look and asked, "Does what?"

"Does… does…" he mumbled, racking his brain for ideas. "He… has awesome tutor hook ups! I'm sure he could get you a really cheap tutor." He grinned brightly at her, hoping she bought it.

She continued staring at the table, not looking up. Wally laughed nervously and continued.

"Yeah since you know Robin's pretty smart, not as smart as me of course, but he could teach you for a low price as well. Probably give you a discount since you're his team mate and all-"

She suddenly stood up, looking him right in the eye and yelled, "I can't afford one, okay!"

They were both silent, except for Artemis's heavy breathing from her quick outburst. Her chest heaved back and forth, the white tank she wore wrapped tightly around her body. Wally gulped.

She then sat back down with a heavy sigh. "I got into Gotham Academy with a scholarship. The books are expensive, getting there's a hassle and I just…" she looked back down and laid her head on her hand, staring at her paper in a look of pure misery. Wally felt bad for her; he hadn't seen her this vulnerable before, except when the Cave had been attacked.

He slowly approached her, sitting in the chair across from her. "Hey," he said in a low voice, softly touching her hand. She glanced up at him and he quickly flicked her on the forehead, dashing back to the board.

Her dark blue eyes were suddenly furious and she cried out in pain. "Ouch! Do you like picking on people when they're down?"

Wally smirked, tapping on the board. "Only when they're not paying attention."

The board was filled with text again, but this time in simpler terms and a coherent format. Artemis's eyes widened in surprise.

He leaned back again the board, still smirking. "I won't charge you in money per se, but calling me the most intelligent, handsome scientist superhero you've ever met in front of the team would be good." Before Artemis could say anything the board's wheels moved back and Wally was sprawled all over the floor.

She laughed and got up, pulling the red head up from the floor. "Deal."

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A/N: Thank you for all the reviews xD I managed to squeeze this in somehow, or rather I'm procrastinating on my 10 page paper due on Wednesday... did I mention that I hate analyzing literature? Well, only when I have to write TEN PAGE PAPERS. In 11 point font. Killing me softly.

So please leave reviews because I really do enjoy reading and receiving them, even though I definitely do not deserve any with my horrible updating .


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. And the last episode was awesome. That is all.

* * *

Kid Flash and Artemis walked into the cave together. Laughing.

Everyone in the cave seemed to simultaneously stop what they were doing. A bowl and whisk hovered in mid-air, the Martian paused in her cooking to gawk. Conner did the same, peering over her shoulder with mild curiosity. Kaldur, who had been sitting on the couch watching the news, turned away from the screen to look with a raised eyebrow. If Robin had been there, it'd be safe to say he'd be staring too.

The pair hadn't noticed their team's astonishment, walking casually to the kitchen.

"She seriously said that? And to think you go to this super 'elite' school," Wally laughed, swiping an apple off the counter.

Artemis giggled, grabbed the apple from his hand and took a bite into it. "I know; you'd think for all the money that school gets from its dozens of sponsors, they could at least hire someone who knows that mitosis is intracellular." She tossed the apple back at the red head, who considered it for a moment before biting a large chunk out of it.

Megan cleared her throat and the two teens turned around, surprised. "What are you guys talking about?"

They glanced at each other for a moment before Artemis spoke, "Oh nothing, just school stuff."

"I thought you went to different schools?" Megan questioned, resuming her cooking. Conner was flipping through the cookbook beside her, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

Artemis fidgeted. "Well I um…" She gave Wally a look, her blue eyes showing the first sign of panic.

He quickly cut in, "She was just telling me about this teacher of hers who's always talking about these old sitcoms…"

"Oh sitcoms!" Megan gushed. "I love sitcoms! Which ones does she watch?"

A few seconds of silence followed, Wally looking completely lost and Artemis biting her lip in thought. 'Crap,' she thought. Her hands played with her blonde hair anxiously.

"I can't really remember," she finally said, making a confused face. She hoped. "But I'll be sure to ask her next class. Anyways, I gotta go. See you later." Then she sped out of the room.

Wally scratched the back of his head, looking around. "I uh, have to go too. Gonna talk to Robin." He rushed out in the same direction.

The room was a quiet for a bit, all of them lost in thought. Megan broke the silence.

"Is Robin in the cave today?" she asked.

"No," Kaldur answered.

* * *

They never really broached the subject; why they were hiding from the team that Wally was tutoring Artemis. He figured she must be embarrassed that she needed his help, but at the back of his mind he knew she doesn't care about that. But in the end it wasn't really a big deal, so he didn't put much thought into it. It was just tutoring.

* * *

"She bit into his food?" Robin exclaimed. "And he didn't get mad?"

"Mhmm," Megan replied, an equally surprised look on her face. "And the strangest part was-" the Martian paused to look around, before leaning in closely. "She _giggled_."

Behind that mask she was sure that Robin's eyes were as wide as saucers, but Conner cut in, "So what? She's a girl, isn't she supposed to giggle?"

Megan looked a bit abashed and quickly answered, "Well of course she is, but what I meant to say was that you know, we ALL know Artemis is a little more… reserved."

"Yes," Kaldur said, getting up from the couch and joining the conversation. "We have all seen the …fondness our teammate has for food." They all laughed.

Robin leaned against the wall and stared up at the ceiling in contemplation. "You're telling me. I've known the guy for years and the first thing I learned was to not touch his food. "

Everyone laughed again, but Kaldur's face was grim. He began cautiously, "Their behavior today was rather strange. As if they were hiding something."

The Boy Wonder snickered. "Besides the fact that they've got the hot's for each other? I doubt it. I bet they ran out of the room to go make out."

The older teen was a bit abashed by the younger one's frank statement. "You believe that they are dating?"

Robin nodded. "You guys said it yourselves; giggling, secret conversations, following each other. I really doubt they're talking about _school_." He said the last word bitterly, but the rest of the team didn't notice.

"I always thought they'd make a cute couple," Megan said with a smile.

Conner have her a half-smile and added, "And now he'll finally leave you alone."

Megan reddened and playfully smacked him on the arm, "Superboy!" The couple smiled at each other, leaning in.

"I think that's our cue to leave," Robin whispered to Aqualad. "I definitely don't want to stick around for this love fest."

They silently left the room, not that their teammates would have noticed. Once in the hallway Robin sighed deeply. Kaldur looked down to ask what was wrong, but he was already gone. He shook his head with a smile

* * *

A/N: I seem to write updates whenever I have huge assignments due. Weird.

Anyways, thank you for all the reviews! And a major question about this update: does Kaldur kind of sound like a robot? I guess I've never really liked him, so I make him sound ultra formal and polite, which he is, but I'm not sure if it's to this extent. Wow, long sentence. So yeah, please review what you think of Kaldur and how he sounds!


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice.

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Artemis had just left the cave entrance and was making her way home, tired. She had spent half of the day being tutored, the other half avoiding the team's questions. Robin always seemed to have a weird smile whenever he asked her about school and how she's doing, but she couldn't figure out why. Not to mention his none too obvious comments about her and Wally's new friendship.

She sighed heavily and made her way through the alleys, eager to get home and throw herself onto her bed. 'At least I don't have any homework to do,' she thought with relief.

"Haven't seen you around."

Artemis jumped and spun around, arrow at the ready. The person laughed and stepped out of the shadows, revealing it was Cheshire. Her arms wavered a bit but remained steady on the woman's figure.

"What do you want?" she asked harshly. Cheshire grinned maliciously.

"That hurts. A big sister can't worry? After all, lately you've been absent from our meetings."

Artemis scoffed, her eyes narrowing to slits. "You didn't seem all that worried when you left."

Cheshire smile slowly fell off, replaced with a scowl. "You still haven't learned." She advanced towards the blonde, who was taking slow steps back. "No one is here to save you, ever." Artemis' back hit the wall and her eyes widened as Cheshire closed in.

Then, she was gone. Artemis blinked repeatedly and looked around. "Sis?" she called softly. Her voice echoed in the empty alleys, mocking. She lingered for a few seconds before leaving.

* * *

The next day at the Gotham Academy she couldn't pay attention; last night was still on her mind. She mindlessly doodled on her paper, completely oblivious to the fact that her teacher was standing right next to her, peering over her shoulder.

"Ahem," the teacher coughed, taping her head. Artemis was startled and jumped slightly, finally noticing everyone was staring.

Her teacher gave her a reprimanding look and placed the past exam on her desk. "Ms. Crock, just because you've been doing well in class doesn't mean you can't pay attention." She walked away and Artemis felt herself blush as a few people snickered, but also smiled at the sight of the B on her exam.

'At least I'm doing something right,' she thought, tucking the exam away to show Wally this afternoon. A few minutes later the lunch bell rang and she left the room, brown paper bag in hand.

She walked towards a secluded part of the courtyard, hoping to have her lunch in peace. All hope was left as her frequent visitor appeared, taking a seat next to her without asking.

Artemis sighed, massaged her temples and asked in annoyance, "What do you want Grayson?"

Dick grinned, nudging her with his elbow. "Mrs. Dawdin actually praised you, sort of. You must feel pretty good now."

Her annoyance slipped away; this weird kid pestered her a bit, but he did pay attention. "Yeah, I do. I just wish it didn't come with the humiliation."

He laughed in response, patting her on the back. She almost coughed out the piece of sandwich she'd be chewing; he had a strong hand for such a small body.

"Dick!" A red head yelled at him from across the courtyard, beckoning him with her hand. A bunch of students shook their heads, openly showing their distaste.

Grayson stood up, nodding at the redhead. "Well," he said to Artemis, "duty calls." He moved a few steps away and added, "Good luck with the tutoring."

Her eyes widening and she stood up and asked, "How do you know I'm being tutored?"

But he was already on the other side, leaving with that girl. She slowly sat back down and finished her sandwich, wondering why he seemed so familiar.

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A/N: This was is pretty short, I know. Thank you for all the reviews, I really love reading them! They brighten up my day. So please, continue to leave reviews! I should have another update in a few days :)


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.

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Artemis walked into the living and towards the kitchen, a smile gracing her face at the sight before her. Of course, Wally was already there. And eating.

"Figures I'd find you here," she joked, hopping onto the counter to sit next to him.

He grunted, still chewing a chocolate chip cookie. She continued while he devoured the rapidly dwindling plate full of cookies.

"How do you even afford that kind of appetite? Or do you just mooch off of others?" she asked with a knowing smirk.

Wally gulped down one of the cookies and fixed her with a half-heartedly glare. "I don't mooch!" he defended, "Megan say I could help myself, so I did."

Artemis raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Ahuh, I'm sure she did." The disbelief was obvious in her tone. He made a face at her in response, to which she rolled her eyes and leaned over him, reaching for a cookie.

He paused in his chewing, momentarily dazed. That one second of her so close to him, the sweet, feminine scent on her skin; he was extremely tempted to lean in.

But the second went by and she was back at his side, eating a cookie. He couldn't help but feel incredibly aware of her presence, her body heat, only inches away.

Artemis, on the other hand, was feeling very peaceful. She noticed at the back of her mind that Wally was gawking at her, cookie half chewed in his slightly open mouth. She attested that to his idiocy; for a nerd he sure was stupid. Or maybe he lacked common sense?

Eventually Wally resumed to eating the cookies, moving the plate in between so she didn't have to reach over. He wasn't really up to looking like a fool twice in the span of 10 minutes.

Artemis started zoning out, enjoying the comfortable silence, when the red-head's voice quietly said, "Thanks."

Her hand paused in mid air, cookie touching her lips. "For what?" she asked, confused.

Wally looked away from her gaze, his ears turned red with embarrassment. "You know," he said with reluctance, "for the last mission, when you gave me the rebreather, and the makeshift sling…" he trailed off, still avoiding any eye contact.

She felt herself becoming a little embarrassed as well; Kid Flash wasn't really the feelings type, nor was she. Eager to escape the topic, she rapidly replied, "Oh it's no big deal, really. That's what friends are for."

Her breath was caught in her throat. Did she just admit, aloud, that she considered him to be her friend?

Artemis racked her mind for a way to take back what she said, or make it seem like she didn't care, when the cookie in her hand was snatched away. She cautiously glanced at him, expecting to worst, only to be pleasantly surprised.

He was grinning at her like his usual self, while cramming in the stolen cookie. Relief flooded her body, and before she knew it she was punching him lightly on the shoulder, a wide smile on her face.

"Artemis? Kid Flash?"

They turned around to see Aqualad walk into the room. Artemis called out, "Yeah?"

He spotted them and made his way over, stopped a few steps short of them. He gave them a quick cursory glance, a little surprised.

She noticed this and was going to ask, but he cut in, "Batman is going to debrief us for our next mission in a few minutes. Please make your way there." They nodded and he left the room, exiting through the same door he came in.

"Looks like lunch time's cut short," Artemis said, hopping off of the counter. One of her feet touched the ground, but the other got stuck in the handle of the cabinet below. She pulled on reflex, and she was suddenly falling face first into the floor.

Artemis shut her eyes, waiting for the impact. Instead, her back hit the cold ground and a hand was holding her head up. She opened her eyes and found Wally above her, straddling. His lips were moving, so he was definitely saying something, but all she could focus on was the warmth of his hand and the bright green eyes looking at her with worry.

"Hello? Anybody home?" He rapped on her forehead, wondering why she hadn't answered. She had been staring at him for almost a full minute, and it was starting to get uncomfortably tight in his costume.

To his surprise it worked, her dark blue eyes coming back into focus. Her cheeks were as red as his hair, a scowl on her face.

"Get off," Artemis growled, moving her upper body forward with a groan. He looked at their position and blushed, practically scampering off of her.

Wally was struck with a strong wave of déjà-vu, the memory of the last time they were alone in the kitchen washing over him. She had slipped on some milk, falling onto him; a reverse of just now. His entire body felt hot; he looked in the opposite direction, hoping she didn't notice.

She didn't though; she was too busy remember the same incident herself, feeling exceedingly awkward. Artemis stood up and mentally slapped herself; why was she getting all mushy? She'll admit, Wally was, at moments, pretty cute. But this wasn't the time or place for wishy washy feelings: they have a mission.

Artemis walked over to the speedster, who refused to look her in the eye, and flicked him on the forehead. "Slow!" She exited the room in a rush, laughing. Wally's face was still a little flushed, but his trademark grin was back. He chased after her, grumbling all the way.

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A/N: Thank you for all the reviews again! :D I wrote this chapter, and the next, in math class -.- The sheer boredom was apparently enough inspiration. Man, the last episode for YJ was fantastic. I like Zatanna, and her ship with Robin (although he's so amazing you could ship him with anyone). Once again, thanks for the reviews and please continue to leave them xD


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice.

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Robin and Kid Flash were sitting on the couch, bags of chips and empty containers of ice cream scattered on the floor around them. They were staring intently at the screen, eyebrows furrowed and curse words flying back and forth.

"Out of my way!" Wally yelled, mashing buttons furiously and waving his controller at his teammate. Robin instinctively avoided the swing, his fingers a blur of precise, controlled movements.

Since Batman was unaware that Wally knew Robin's secret identity, they couldn't hang out anywhere outside of the Cave. So the best friends were spending one of their free days here, playing video games. And, of course, the rest of the team was watching them from the kitchen; the two become quite competitive when the Xbox is set up.

Aqualad was busy in Atlantis, so Zatanna was hanging out the team today – she wasn't a permanent member yet, but they knew it was only a matter of time. Zatara was obviously still a little apprehensive considering the last time the teens were left together, but Black Canary's careful nudging was quickly convincing him otherwise.

"You know mindless button smashing doesn't work right?" Robin stated with a smirk, his character leaping over the opponent.

Wally grunted in response; his free hand was busy shoveling food into his open mouth. Zatanna watched him with a mixture of disgust and approbation.

She turned to the Megan and Artemis, since Conner was busy with Wolf, and asked, "Does he normally eat this much?"

They looked at each other before responding, "Yes," "Yeah, pretty much." The girls laughed, watching the remaining food dwindle away.

"No!" Wally wailed as a loud K.O. sounded from the TV, his player dramatically falling onto the ground. He tossed the controller onto the couch and glared at the screen, crossing his arms in an unmistakable pout. Robin laughed, propping his feet up on the coffee table with a self-satisfied smile.

Zatanna stood up from the stool she was perched on and turned to the team. "You guys wanna play?

Artemis quirked an eyebrow, glancing from the living room back to the team. "I didn't exactly hear an invitation," she responded.

"We don't exactly need one," Zatanna insisted, yanking one of Artemis' hands out of her pocket and pulling her forward. "How about you Megan?"

Megan jerked her head towards them, a light blush on her cheeks. She had been staring at Superboy for a while now, her eyes following him as he exited the room.

"I'm a little busy right now," she murmured, her feet barely touching the ground as she followed her boyfriend. Artemis and Zatanna glanced at each other with knowing looks, the former wagging her eyebrows suggestively. They giggled as they made their way to the living room, the boys still sitting there arguing.

"I know you cheated," Wally accused, the game stats on constant replay. He read them over, looking for a discrepancy. Robin sighed, probably rolling his eyes behind the mask.

Zatanna bent over the couch, making Robin face her. "Mind letting Arty and I give it a try?" He fell back in surprise and nodded, scooting down the couch to make room. Artemis sat in the other couch with Wally, snatching the controller out of his hands. He gave her a half-hearted glare and she stuck her tongue out at him.

Artemis sat back, watching Robin demonstrate how to play. Zatanna was listening intently, while Robin tried not to ogle. The Boy Wonder had feelings – go figure.

Wally followed suit and sat closer to Artemis, explaining what each button does and the different combos she could make. Half her mind was wondering why he bothered learning what each button does if he had no strategy, and the other half was wondering if that musky scent he was emanating had always been there. She took an involuntary deep breath, leaning incredibly close to him.

"You got it?" he asked loudly and she snapped out of her daze, her face slightly flushed. She nodded, pressing start.

What followed was two grueling hours of intense game play, the boys' jaws practically touching the floor. When they finished Zatanna gave Robin a high five; Artemis smiled coyly at Robin's undisguised glee.

"You knew how to play? Wally asked incredulously as they began to clean up the room.

Artemis grinned as she put away the game and controllers. "In between shopping for shoes and braiding my hair, I play a little." She wasn't sure whether he heard the heavy sarcasm.

The teens made their way to the Cave's entrance, chatting aimlessly. On their way there, though, Artemis held her arm out and stopped the rest from going forward. Everyone immediately entered a fighting stance, ready to attack.

Zatanna whispered, "What is it?"

The blonde motioned for her to stay quiet, before leaning in. "I'm not sure," she replied, pulling a small bow and arrow out of her boots. "But after the Red Tornado incident, I'm not taking any chances."

They all nodded in agreement, moving closer to the doorway. Zatanna glanced back down at Artemis' boots and grinned.

"Love the boots," she gushed, "How did you make those?"

Artemis looked both delighted and embarrassed, answering the teen with a sheepish smile. "Oh I sewed a pocket on the inside," she replied. "I'll show you later."

"Guys," Kid Flash interrupted, motioning in front of them, "focus!"

They looked at each other in astonishment; Wally the mature one?

"Never thought I'd hear _him_ telling me that," Artemis grumbled and gave Robin a confused glance. He shrugged, equally surprised.

They didn't get a moment to adjust though: Kid Flash ran headfirst into the room. His teammates mentally slapped themselves across the forehead before rushing in after him.

The entrance to the cave was rather small so they easily spotted the speedster up ahead, frozen in place. He was blocking whatever he was staring at, and as the distance between then shortened Artemis could see Wally's body trembling. The hairs on the back of her neck immediately stood up, goose bumps littering her arms. She silently cursed herself for not having her bow and arrow at hand.

She moved Kid Flash aside, pulling back an arrow on her mini bow. Then it dropped. Her dark blue eyes were wide in horror, her mouth agape. She heard the rest make similar sounds of shock, slowly backing away. An arm pulled her back as well, moving her faster than light to the other side of the room.

Miss Martian stood there, a sickening smile on her lips. Half of her body was the green sweetheart they fought with, the niece of Martian Manhunter. The other half, the half with coal eyes that stared mercilessly at its victim, was pure white, with an arm was in the shape of a lance that was stabbed deep into Superboy's chest. She, it, continued to leer at them as it approached the shell-shocked teens, still carrying the skewered Kryptonian.

"Etearc dleihs dnuora em!"

Zatanna's voice piercing through the silence, awakening them. A clear barrier enveloped their surrounding area, protecting the few feet between them and the white Martian. It paused, studying the barrier for a few seconds. Its eyes passed over Zatanna and her knuckles tightened as she tried to make a brave face.

Finally, the Martian seemed to come to a decision. It began to levitate, flying towards them, when the Zeta-Beam teleporter tube sounded.

"Recognized Batman 02, Martian Manhunter 07".

The forms of the superheroes materialized, stepping out with worried expressions. "What's going on?" Batman asked, searching the room.

Miss Martian and Superboy were gone.

* * *

A/N: Holy crap I don't think I've had a worse 3 weeks then the ones I endured. My brain is numb. Never taking seven classes again. Ever. So Young Justice isn't releasing any new episodes until next year. Assholes. Sorry again, this update was extremely late, but I think the content might make up for it? Either way I'm on vaycay so more time to write! Thank you for all the reviews! 3


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice. I just mess around with the characters.

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They ducked their heads, swiftly moving through the humid marsh. Aqualad was at the head of their line, pausing every so often to look around, checking the perimeter. Robin stalked beside him, reaching up to wipe the sweat off his forehead every few minutes and pushing his damp hair to the side. Zatanna was behind him, swatting at the flies around them, followed by Kid Flash and Artemis.

The two lagged behind the rest, each following their teammates in a listless manner, eyes unfocused and faces bearing identical looks of apathy. Artemis reflexively slapped the back of her neck, killing a mosquito that has just landed on her skin.

Zatanna frequently found herself glanced back at the pair worriedly. Ever since the incident, Miss Martian revealing her white Martian heritage and kidnapping a wounded Superboy, the two had been alarmingly quiet. She didn't really know what to expect from Artemis since she always kept to herself, but Wally's silence was unnerving. It didn't take long for Zatanna to become friends with the energetic speedster, so she had anticipated a much more … verbal response. Instead, he was the opposite – causing her to reevaluate her previous stance on the young hero. Obviously he wasn't the static, always eager character she thought he was.

She sighed heavily, turning back to look at them for what felt like the hundredth time. If there was any time she felt out of the loop, like a noob of the team, it was now. Determined to get answers, Zatanna sped up so that she was walking at the same pace as Robin and Aqualad.

They immediately noticed her presence, Aqualad glancing at her from the corner of his eye while continuing to move forward. Robin peeked from the side and smiled, which she briefly returned before setting her sights on the team leader.

In a low voice, since they were on a mission, she murmured, "Is this normal? The whole zombie like behavior?" She signaled to the two in the back.

Kaldur looked at them for a moment, contemplating. "I am not sure. I have only known them since the team was formed. They are obviously hurt by Miss Martian's betrayal."

Robin suddenly appeared by Zatanna's side, startling the novice magician. "Yeah since none of us thought she was the mole. She was always so nice," he commented, his voice trailing at the last part. She was tempted to ask about this 'mole' situation, but decided to return focus to the matter at hand.

They had arrived at their destination: a lab hidden among the flora and fauna, suspected of being used by the League of Shadows. The three turned around to quick repeat each other's objectives before separating.

The moment Zatanna turned around, though, Kid Flash walked right into her, heads smacking hard against one another. She hissed at the pain, rubbing her throbbing forehead.

A second later and another thunk was heard as Artemis shambled into a crouched Kid Flash, still nursing his head wound. The two flew to the ground in a heap, the blonde's body completely covering the red heads. Robin glanced back with a frown, followed by Kaldur's reprimanding stare.

"Guys," Robin hissed, "if you haven't noticed we're kind of on a mission here." He looked around to see if they had drawn any attention.

Artemis answered with a groan, propping herself up using her elbows. Wally waited for her to get up, clutching his forehead and glaring at the girl on top of him.

"Well I wasn't the one who didn't watch where they were going," he retorted, finally managing to get up but still grasping his forehead in pain. Artemis seethed with anger, her finger jabbing at her teammate's chest.

She answered through clenched teeth, "I wouldn't be talking if I were you, especially since you just bumped into Zatanna!"

The two were head to head now, squared off and completely oblivious to their teams' whispered pleas to be quiet. Zatanna wanted to slap herself on the forehead; if they weren't on a mission right now she'd be talking about how perfected suited they were for each other. Stubborn, overdramatic, independent... the list could go on forever.

Kaldur decided after a few minutes of their non-stop bickering to put an end to it, standing up and placing himself between them. "Stop this. Now," he commanded, his tone edged with authority. They immediately shut up, eyes wide at the sudden interruption. Kaldur gave them each a hard look, his eyes showing his blatant disapproval.

"I understand there have been unease ever since Miss Martian and Superboy's disappearance."

The teen heroes simultaneously tensed up, all looking in different directions, as if trying to avoid thinking about it. Artemis griped one of her arms like a clutch, staring at the ground with great intensity. Kid Flash seemed to tone out, his green eyes looking straight ahead, lost in memory.

"However," Kaldur continued, "we must overcome this and work together as a team. We must focus on the mission at hand. This is not the first difficulty we've encountered," his eyes passed over Artemis as he went on, "nor will it be the last." He made a point to create eye contact with every team member, whom answered with a nod.

The rest of the mission passed in silence. The teens entered the facility, obtained the necessary data and equipment, and exited in complete stealth. Since Miss Martian was AWOL, the team no longer had the bioship at their disposal. Instead they had to rely on the transportation the League prepared. Their pickup was to arrive in ten minutes, so they remained close to the area while staying covert.

Despite their previous argument Kid Flash and Artemis stood close to one another, including throughout the mission. Zatanna never saw or heard them communicate to one other; it was like an unspoken bond that neither of them knew about.

Robin stood next to her – Aqualad was hidden elsewhere – and caught her watching. He joined her, studying them. The itch to rip off his mask and see what was going through his mind suddenly seized her and she felt her hand twitch in anticipation. Zatanna realized what she almost did and felt herself flush in mortification, but thankfully he hadn't noticed.

"They're here," Aqualad called out and they all moved out to the approaching helicopter. Aqualad and Robin boarded first since they carried the data and equipment. The remaining three began to board when Wally yelled, "Artemis!"

The team turned back to see their archer being dragged off by masked men, her bow and arrow throw onto the ground. She appeared to be unconscious, her head flopped to the side.

The copter had already begun to move as more masked men appeared, ready to give chase. Before anyone could object Kid Flash was off the boat and on the ground, racing after Artemis' captors.

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A/N: Thank you for all the reviews on the last chapter! Several more await, but I can already see the end of this fic. Today I was seized with the feeling that I have to end this - to give it a conclusion. But don't worry, we will soon be returning to Artemis and Wally romance! Once again, please continue to leave reviews x)


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